You know when you go grocery shopping it’s a good idea to go full, so that you don’t buy everything? Well when you go to Borough Market, you should go hungry. Last Friday I had lunch with Ryan at Ippudo, which is my favorite restaurant. Afterwards Ryan went back to work and I went to Borough Market. Only, I was stuffed full of delicious ramen, which was awesome, but meant I wasn’t so tempted by the market. And the market has so many delicious things to eat.
Every time I go to Borough Market, I walk down a staircase with the Southwark Cathedral on my right and on my left are all the sounds and smells of food vendors making delicious meals. There are giant paellas, sausage rolls, and savory pies. I once had the most delicious sweet potato and goat cheese pie from the market. Anyway, after pushing through the crowds and further into the market, there are even more mouth watering goodies to take home with you.
Borough Market is a semi-enclosed market that is 1000 years old! Fruit and vegetables are the cornerstone of the market. Lots and lots of vendors have displays bursting with mountains of gorgeous colors. Look at that lettuce above! It’s all crinkly and green – it actually makes me excited to eat a salad. And the apples above are glowing from the sunshine. How could you walk away without at least one healthy piece of food? I bought myself some lemons and freshly pressed apple juice.
But it’s not just about the produce, there are amazing cakes and cookies, breads, meats and cheeses. I always want everything. Once, Ryan and I went at the end of the day on a Saturday. The vendors were giving discounts because it was the end of the week and as a result we bought thick beef burgers, artisanal cheese, and fresh bread – all to make some juicy burgers when we got home.
Although I don’t really eat pork, I was taken with the pig’s foot (above center) where the vendor would slice off fresh prosciutto straight from the bone. That seems like quality service. I also liked seeing the scallops in the shells. So often in the grocery store we’re shielded from where our food comes from and what it actually looks like. I enjoy the market because it shows food’s freshness and reminds me that food comes from the land or an animal.
I took a small break from browsing the food to check out the cooking demonstration. The person was making a savory pie with lots of layers of thin flaky pastry. Alongside him was a sign language interpreter – which I thought was so cool. I’ve seen sign language interpretation a lot throughout the UK and I’m impressed with how accessible things can be. I also stumbled along a bit blackboard wall where people wrote down names, jokes and something they wanted to do before they die.
Beyond the food, the space itself is a fun place to take in. There are so many people and I heard half a dozen different languages as I walked around. Since it was sunny the nearby pubs were filled with people and the sidewalks had people sitting on the curb and eating. I thought, I think I deserve a mini picnic on this sunny day off. So, I went and bought myself a Pimm’s cup No. 1 (a gin cocktail with some juice and fruits and veg in it – and it’s apparently iconic of English summer). The vendor asked me if I was older than 18, which was nice and made me laugh. When I told him I was old enough to drink, he gave me my cocktail and I ran off to sit on a bench and soak up the sun. Hard life, right?
